Hey everyone, just want to introduce myself as I am new to this site. My name is Alyson. I wanted a sphynx cat for years. Finally a couple months ago I found a girl whose sphynx had just had kittens. It was her first litter they were born Feb. 13, 2011. I drove over 3 hours to see them. They were so adorable. I picked a little black male. He was completely bald and the cutest thing. I went back right after he turned six weeks old on April 1st and picked him up. She told me he was ready to go. We named him Doc Holliday. My kids loved him so much. He was so tiny. April 12th I woke up to my dh telling me that Doc just used the bathroom all over himself so I go and pick him up and he was lethargic and couldn't even walk. He just laid there so I picked him up and cleaned him up, wrapped him in his blanket with his snuggle safe heat pad and held him in my lap. He tried to push himself up and poke his little head out of his blanket and reached his little front paw out like he wanted me to hold it. He began to breathe funny and he tried to meow but nothing came out. He started to gasp for breath and he died in my lap. He was so little. I made my dh take him to the vet to find out what happened. I got in touch with the girl I got him from and told her what happened. A few days later we got the pathology results back. He died from group g streptococcus. I miss him so much! I only had him for 11 days but he was so sweet. I loved him a lot.
Hello!
- Thread starter Alyson
- Start date
- Joined
- May 27, 2009
- Messages
- 389
- Points
- 58
I'm so sorry to hear about your less - Sadly I hate to tell you this, but the age he was taken away from mom probably contributed to this. He still needed the antibodies from mom to stay healthy! No responsible breeder will seperate them before at least 8 weeks at the very earliest - And in some states that's even a law! But it doesn't make it any easier, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss, Sphynx are such charming babies, it doesn't take long for them to steal our hearts!
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2011
- Messages
- 890
- Points
- 168
Sorry for your loss. It is hard to lose a pet no matter how much time you had together 
.
If, and when, you decide to get another kitten, I would find a breeder that doesn't let the kitties go home until about 12 weeks...that seems to be pretty standard.
Again, sorry to hear this.
.If, and when, you decide to get another kitten, I would find a breeder that doesn't let the kitties go home until about 12 weeks...that seems to be pretty standard.
Again, sorry to hear this.
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2009
- Messages
- 1,043
- Points
- 188
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss Alyson however as others have said I find it tragic that anyone would let you take a kitten home at 6 just weeks old. The UK Sphynx association actually recommends that kittens shouldn't be re-homed until they are 13 weeks old which is nearly 2 months older than your baby. I'd recommend you search the Lair and ask as many questions as you need so your next encounter doesn't leave you heartbroken.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2009
- Messages
- 13,556
- Points
- 673
Oh my.....I am so terribly sorry for your loss. As already stated that was way too young to take the kit from it's mother. I don't let my kits go until they are 14 weeks old, and my vet even suggested with these kittens that if I could convince people to wait until the kits are 6 mos. old, that that would reduce all the stress related illnesses these babies seem to get when they move to a new home as their immune systems are fully engaged by then and they are able to withstand more stress. What do you all think of that? I'm not sure folks want to wait that long.....interested in what you all have to say. If it meant getting a heartier kitten would you all be willing to wait that long? Haven't decided what I'll do about it...what do you guys think?
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2009
- Messages
- 4,986
- Points
- 271
I am so sorry for the loss of this baby, but like the others have said I feel as tho it could have been prevented by the breeder keeping the kittens with their Mommy for at least 6 more weeks. At this time Admin and I are not breeding but will again one day when our human children are older. When we did breed 12 weeks was the youngest age we would allow a kitten to leave our home and it's mommy.
I response to Susi, I do think that your vet has a good point and yes in a perfect world new pet owners would have no problem waiting until 6 months if that would mean a healthier kitten but we all know to well that this is no perfect world.
We do not ship kittens and have let all our babies go at 12 weeks, shipping was something that we would not consider but if we did I think waiting longer at least 16 weeks would be a great idea being that there is added stress and health concerns that go along with that.
I response to Susi, I do think that your vet has a good point and yes in a perfect world new pet owners would have no problem waiting until 6 months if that would mean a healthier kitten but we all know to well that this is no perfect world.
We do not ship kittens and have let all our babies go at 12 weeks, shipping was something that we would not consider but if we did I think waiting longer at least 16 weeks would be a great idea being that there is added stress and health concerns that go along with that.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2011
- Messages
- 1,291
- Points
- 163
Allyson, I'm so sorry for your loss, it's so hard to lose one of the babies at such a young age. Welcome to the Lair and I'm sure you will be helped if you ever decide to get a new kitten.
Susi, of course the decision is up to you as to how long to keep the kits before giving them a new home. I think a lot depends on far they have to travel, health of the kitten too of course. My first Cornish Rex was 6 months and no health issues what-so-ever, although he was diagnosed with HCM as a 1 year old. My second CR was 11 weeks and I had nothing but trouble health wise w/him until 5 months. As much as I'd hate to wait 6 months for a new baby, there seems to be an obvious reason to keep them. Maybe 5 months would work?
Susi, of course the decision is up to you as to how long to keep the kits before giving them a new home. I think a lot depends on far they have to travel, health of the kitten too of course. My first Cornish Rex was 6 months and no health issues what-so-ever, although he was diagnosed with HCM as a 1 year old. My second CR was 11 weeks and I had nothing but trouble health wise w/him until 5 months. As much as I'd hate to wait 6 months for a new baby, there seems to be an obvious reason to keep them. Maybe 5 months would work?
Thanks to everyone for your condolences. Everyone is right about him staying with the breeder til at least 12 weeks. I even mentioned that when I first went to see the kittens and I was told she didn't know why most kept them that long, but she assumed they were like other cats and were ready when they started to eat solid food. I would text her periodically to see how they were and one day she said are you coming this weekend to pick him up he is eating solid food. He is ready to go. I didn't go get him for about another week. I guess wanting him so badly and thinking she knew about them more than I did, I figured he would be fine. This was the first litter her cats had ever had, but she breeds puppies too. But when I went to get him his eye was runny and his ears where dirty. She said she was using wood chip litter in the litter box and I thought that may have been why his eye was runny and we just bathe him really good when we got home. I took him to the vet the next day for a well kitten check and even ask about the eye and was told to keep a watch on it . I have let her know what happened and ask her what this meant concerning our contract and was told when she received a copy of the pathology report (which I did send her in the mail as a certified letter and through email) she would talk to her vet and let me know. I don't even care about the money I am concerned about the cats and their health. I am not sure what she is going to do, I guess I will found out soon enough. Again thanks to everyone for your replies. All your input is knowledge for me so hopefully next time and there will be a next time I get a new kitten I will have the info I need to make sure this doesn't happen again. I have 4 kids and they get attached to our pets as much as i do, especially my 11 year old daughter. She was just heartbroken. I have two babies ages 18 and 29 months and they don't really understand but they do ask for Doc and know he isnt here anymore.
I know I would wait that long if it meant I would have a healthy kitten. I wanted one for years and with 4 kids it took me awhile to save the money to get a sphynx anyway. So to wait 6 months to make sure he was healthy would be fine with me. Knowing that when I did finally get the kitten home and he wytould be happy and healthy would make it well worth the wait. I am not sure what this breeder is going to do concerning my situation but if I have to wait years to get another one, I will! But like I told my dh I will have another sphynx!!
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2011
- Messages
- 404
- Points
- 0
I am so sorry to hear about you losing your baby It is always hard no matter how long you've had them and he was adorable. As you have read, he was way too young to leave his mom. Mine were both 14 weeks when I got them but it was worth the wait. They are the best pets and I hope you will try again with a reputable breeder. Take care.
TanyaMeaw
Lairian
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2011
- Messages
- 98
- Points
- 74
I'm so sorry for your loss. This touches my heart so much because i also got mine at 6 weeks old... And he's also black and was born on Feb 6th 2011. It was the first littler for the cat and for the owner too and she just didn't want to keep the kittens any longer... I really relate myself to your story because of these similar circumstances...
My kitty is ok so far, I worry about him all the time though... I don't know what i would do if this happened to me... I can only imagine how u must feel, and no words can help and take the pain away... Only time can make things easier. Stay strong...
This touches my heart so much because i also got mine at 6 weeks old... And he's also black and was born on Feb 6th 2011. It was the first littler for the cat and for the owner too and she just didn't want to keep the kittens any longer... I really relate myself to your story because of these similar circumstances... My kitty is ok so far, I worry about him all the time though... I don't know what i would do if this happened to me... I can only imagine how u must feel, and no words can help and take the pain away... Only time can make things easier. Stay strong...
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2011
- Messages
- 1,209
- Points
- 0
The fact that it was her first litter is no excuse...
When you take on the responsibility of breeding an animal it's your responsibility as the breeder to do your homework and make sure you do it right...It would have taken a 10 minute internet search to see that EVERY breeder of Sphynx keeps them tell 12 weeks, and why.
People trust there breeders, as they should...and it's makes me so mad when breeders do this crap!!..She should have known better!!
I hope for you and your kids she gives you your money back so you can buy a new kitten for your family..
When you take on the responsibility of breeding an animal it's your responsibility as the breeder to do your homework and make sure you do it right...It would have taken a 10 minute internet search to see that EVERY breeder of Sphynx keeps them tell 12 weeks, and why.
People trust there breeders, as they should...and it's makes me so mad when breeders do this crap!!..She should have known better!!
I hope for you and your kids she gives you your money back so you can buy a new kitten for your family..
The fact that it was her first litter is no excuse...
When you take on the responsibility of breeding an animal it's your responsibility as the breeder to do your homework and make sure you do it right...It would have taken a 10 minute internet search to see that EVERY breeder of Sphynx keeps them tell 12 weeks, and why.
People trust there breeders, as they should...and it's makes me so mad when breeders do this crap!!..She should have known better!!
I hope for you and your kids she gives you your money back so you can buy a new kitten for your family..
I have spoken to her about it and she just tells me she will have to speak with her vet when she gets the pathology report. I am pretty sure she will not give me my money back or even offer to replace the kitten. She said she would get back to me ASAP, so I guess time will tell.
This is the results of the pathology report I received. A lot of this is over my head and so I just had to research to find out what everything meant. Diagnoses: Isolation of Streptococcus canis. Comments: Streptococcus canis belongs to the serogroup G. This is a part of the normal flora in the nasopharnyx, genitalia, and skin of the cat. This organism can cause death via septicemic in neonatal cats. Typically infection is via the umbilicus. The isolation of this organism from multiple organs indicates that this cat was septicemic. Bacterial Culture Results: spleen- streptococcus canis 500 cfu. Comments: CFU is the abbreviation for colony forming units and reflects the estimated number of colonies present following incubation of culture plates. Liver no growth. Lung no growth. Kidney streptococcus canis 20 cfu. Intestine streptococcus canis 500 cfu and E. Coli 200 cfu. I honestly am not sure what some of it means. I just know it was bad. I only hope my poor baby didn't suffer.
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2011
- Messages
- 1,209
- Points
- 0
I'm not sure myself. Your vet should be able to explain it to you.
lodisphynx
Lairian
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2011
- Messages
- 95
- Points
- 29
I am so sorry to hear this, so awful. My breeder lets go at 4 months..... mine was 17 weeks by the time airline would ship. I would have loved to have had as a younger kitten, I drool over pics of tiny kittens, but in the long run, yeah, I'd rather wait. It's really impt for kittens to stay with litter mates and mom and interact and learn how to be cats.